[TrunkCom] Pennsylvania state troopers 'keep in touch'

[Marcel]

Pennsylvania state troopers 'keep in touch'


The final phase of a statewide Initial Mobile Office (IMO) project that will equip the
balance of 1200 State Police patrol vehicles with mobile data terminals and wireless
mobile data software was initiated in Pennsylvania the first of September. The IMO project
began in 1996 when a task force identified a critical need and developed a plan. In 1999,
during then-governor Tom Ridge�s administration, the state�s new Criminal
Investigative/Traffic Safety Incident Information Management System (IIMS) was initiated.
Implementation of the IIMS IMO project is expected to be complete by the end of 2002.

The first phase of the project converted 550 state police patrol vehicles in south central
and southeastern Pennsylvania, adding Motorola�s MW520 mobile data terminals and Premier
MDC wireless data solution software to each vehicle in a limited roll-out. Before a
terminal was mounted, the IIMS Mobile Team collaborated with 22 justice departments in
nine states to design a fixed mount system for the monitor and keyboard that wouldn�t be
dislodged under high speeds or accidents. Each monitor is mounted eye level on the dash
allowing the officer to never have to take his eyes off the road and each monitor is
mounted in a way to not interfere with air bag deployment nor become a projectile when the
air bags are deployed. As an added safety feature to the patrol officer, each monitor has
an on-screen keyboard using touch screen capabilities and contains an instant emergency
screen button to notify other patrol cars and the dispatcher of pending trouble. The
keyboard itself is also mounted securely but can be removed from its mount for officer
convenience.

The second phase ($6.9 million) of the $12.9 million project will outfit the remaining 630
State Police vehicles with the wireless mobile data solution and the entire system will be
in use statewide when completed. �This expansion of the Initial Mobile Office means we
will be able to dramatically impact officer safety and provide a system that fits
efficiently in an environment in which space is always at a premium,� said Ronald Wilt,
IIMS program manager. �It also enables us to put the latest communications technologies
right at the officer�s fingertips. That can have an enormous impact on the services we
provide the public, including increased Homeland Security efforts.� Some time in the near
future, the option of system installation in detective�s vehicles in the state of
Pennsylvania will be discussed.

State police troopers now have, at their fingertips, a number of valuable capabilities:

*Access to the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network (CLEAN) and the National
Crime Information Computer (NCIC) databases to retrieve the most current law enforcement
data available. CLEAN is used by the Commonwealth�s criminal justice agencies to access
driver�s license and motor vehicle information, check serial numbers of guns and stereos,
view state criminal warrants, scrutinize up-to-date information maintained by the
Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, view the Commonwealth�s central registry for
Protection from Abuse orders, stolen and wanted files and various other services.

*Mapping/Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities to retrieve coordinates for
locations statewide.

*The option to communicate car-to-car and car-to-station using encrypted messaging.

*Access to the Criminal Justice Manual for legal reference.

*Incident report-writing capabilities to enable troopers to capture vital information
quickly, while continuing to work and be visible in the field.

The State Safety Radio project uses the 800 MHz system for data communications, VHF is
currently used for voice. The state wants to eventually eliminate VHF. Several new
mini-site towers are planned to link the system together statewide and the 81 current
State Police dispatching station locations will be consolidated to 5. The system�s Super
Core main computer will be located in Harrisburg, with primary back-up computers in
Norristown, Greensburg and two others to be determined in northeast and northwest
Pennsylvania.